Father-son guilty of illegal killing of bear

George Barnes TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Published Tuesday May 1, 2012 at 1:00 pm

Updated Tuesday May 1, 2012 at 2:29 pm

A father and son were convicted this morning of violating fish and game laws in the killing of a bear last fall in Royalston. The men are accused of baiting the bear and then shooting it, a violation of state law. The two were fined and had their hunting licenses suspended for the maximum of five years. “Quite frankly, they shouldn't be allowed to hunt again,” the judge said.

A father and son were convicted this morning of violating fish and game laws in the killing of a bear last fall in Royalston. The men are accused of baiting the bear and then shooting it, a violation of state law.

Mark Burdzy Jr., 29, of Orange and Mark Burdzy Sr., 52, of Royalston pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing and possessing a bear and illegally hunting a bear with a dog or by hunting.

The men were each fined $2,000 for illegally killing the bear and each was ordered to pay the state wildlife fund $300 as reimbursement for the bear and $100 for court costs. For killing the bear by baiting, each was fined $1,000, and had his license taken away for five years.

Mr. Burdzy Jr. was also fined $100 and assessed $50 in court costs for altering or forging a license for tagging and reporting the illegally killed bear as being legally shot.

On a count of conspiracy to provide false information the two men were placed on one-year pretrial probation and assessed $200 in court costs. Each man was placed on two-year pretrial probation and assessed $200 for one count of witness intimidation.

Mr. Burdzy Sr. had been also charged with three weapons violations. Those violations were dismissed.

The verdict was the result of an agreement worked out by the Worcester County district attorney's office and Mr. Burdzy Sr. and Mr. Burdzy Jr.'s lawyer, Peter Merrigan. The state Environmental Police approved the agreement. The only change was the part of the agreement that would have resulted in the two losing their hunting licenses for three years. Judge Arthur F. Haley III increased the suspension to five years.

Five years was the most their licenses could be suspended for a first offense. A second offense would result in permanent suspension.

The Burdzys were charged with the death of the bear after an extensive investigation, which included DNA analysis of a pile of bear guts found in the woods by two women out for a walk. Contradictions in the men's stories led Sgt. Anthony Wolski and Officer Mark Brighenti to look more closely at the case.

Two special investigators from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and employees of the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife were also involved in the investigation.